Unpaid Tolls and Violations

Unpaid Tolls and Violations

At times, customers who pay cash may find themselves in an unattended toll plaza lane or in an I-PASS or Pay Online lane. If this happens, continue driving forward. Do not back up at any time--it is unsafe. Make note of your location by identifying the toll plaza name or number or the nearest milepost. You will be required to identify the unpaid toll location when submitting your payment. Be sure to go online or pay by mail within the 7-day grace period.

Payments can be made online or by mail. Online payment is recommended because it provides a record of transmission within the 7-day grace period.

If you experience problems in processing an online payment, you also have the option of mailing your payment for the unpaid toll.

Pay by Mail

If you would like to take advantage of the seven-day grace period noted above, but do not want to pay online, you have the option to submit the “Unpaid Toll Payment” form by mail. Send the form(s) along with your check or money order to:

Don't remember my route. What now?

In the event of unknown plazas or direction, toll calculations will be based on the maximum charge (per toll) on our system for your vehicle class.

Maximum Charge per Toll

2018

2019

Passenger Car (2-axle)

$3.80

$3.80

Small Truck (2-axle)

$5.85

$6.00

Medium Truck (3 to 4-axle)

$8.70

$8.90

Large Truck (5-axle)

$15.50

$15.85

Important information

If you are using a credit card that was issued outside of the United States, there is a chance that your credit card may not process. If you experience problems in processing your payment, you have the option of submitting your payment by mail.

If you were driving a rental vehicle, it is possible the rental company has the license plate of the vehicle registered to their own I-PASS or E-ZPass account, and that the unpaid toll has already posted to their account. We urge you to keep a copy of your unpaid toll receipt, only available via online payment, so that you can prove your payment to your rental car company if they attempt to bill you for it at a later date.

Missed the 7-day Grace Period?

The unpaid toll has now become a violation.

To the extent allowable by the laws of your state, failure to pay tolls or satisfy any fine or penalty imposed by the Tollway may result in suspending the driving privileges, vehicle registration or both.

Toll Violation Information

Failure to pay the proper toll will result in the issuance of a Notice of Toll Violation requiring the registered owner of the vehicle to pay fines, as well as the unpaid tolls at the cash rate.

Under the Illinois Tollway's regulations, Notices of Toll Violation are sent to customers who accumulate three or more toll violations within a 12-month period. The Tollway will send out a violation notice within 90 days of the user's third violation.

A Notice of Toll Violation will come in the mail and include a photo of one of the violation events that the Illinois Tollway has on record, as well as details of the date, time and location of each violation event.

Pay your toll violation

Toll Violation Notice Facts

The registered owner of a vehicle that goes through a toll plaza without payment of the proper toll is responsible for any and all missed tolls or violations, whether or not the unpaid toll payment was intentional or if someone else was driving the vehicle.

Section 10/10(a-5) of The Illinois Toll Highway Act and sections 2520.2269(e) and 2520.750 of the Illinois Administrative Code authorizes the Illinois Tollway to adjudicate toll evasion violations administratively and assess a mandatory $20 fine per violation against the registered owner of a vehicle that has been recorded as failing to pay the proper toll.

Toll violation notices are sent to the registered owner of the violating vehicle via First Class U.S. mail and will include a photo of one of the violation events that the Illinois Tollway has on record, along with the dates, times and locations of each violation even.

(*Fines assessed with Illinois Route 390 Tollway will be $10 per violation.)

Timely Response to Violation Notices

Failure to respond to the Notice of Toll Violation by either not paying the total amount due or requesting a hearing to contest the violations within the required 30 days shall be deemed by default, as an admission of liability and will waive the right to a hearing and shall result in a Final Order of Liability for the total amount due.

Failure to satisfy any fines or penalties within 30 days after the entry of a Final Order of Liability, resulting by default or by contest, shall result in an additional fine of $50 per liable violation being assessed. Also at this time, if five or more violations are outstanding and past due, a Notice of Impending Suspension is issued.

To the extent allowable by the laws of your state, failure to satisfy any fine or penalty imposed by the Tollway may result in suspending driving privileges, vehicle registration, or both of the person failing to satisfy the fines or penalties and other sanction as provided by law.

(*Additional fines associated with Illinois Route 390 Tollway will be assessed at $25 per liabile violation.)

Questions About the Validity of Your Toll Violation?

Dispute an Image

Customers can view the license plate images associated with toll violation notices online, select from two dispute options and file the dispute electronically.

A violation notice number and license plate number are required to enter the violation image database. Once a notice is accessed, customers can choose from two dispute options: "plate incorrect" or "missing image." Each notice number must be disputed separately. An automated email confirmation is sent to confirm that the dispute has been received. Once a dispute has been reviewed by Tollway staff, notification of the decision is sent via email.

Contest a Toll Violation

We have streamlined the process to contest a toll violation.

Drivers who wish to contest a toll violation can download an affidavit of nonliability form, indicate the reason they are contesting the toll violation and mail the form along with the required documentation to the Tollway. A written notice of the agency's decision will be mailed to the customer. If the reason for contesting the toll violation is not listed on the form, customers can call Tollway Customer Service at 800-UC-IPASS (800-824-7277) for assistance.

Request a Hearing

You have 30 days from the issue date of the first Notice of Toll Violation to contest the violation(s) by requesting an administrative hearing. An administrative hearing can be conducted in person or by mail. Administrative hearings are less formal than a state court trial but still follow a basic structure to ensure fairness and due process of law.

The hearing officer does not have the legal authority to:

Negotiate or offer a settlement.

Waive or lower the mandatory fine/toll amount.

Extend the payment deadline or grant a payment plan.

If a hearing officer finds you liable, you will no longer be eligible for a settlement.

Before you request, please consider the following

If you submitted a missed toll payment within 7 days and believe you received the notice in error, please call 800-UC-IPASS (800-824-7277) visit a Customer Service Center for assistance.

If you were an I-PASS or E-ZPass customer at the time of the violations, please call 800-UC-IPASS (800-824-7277) or visit a Customer Service Center for assistance.

Lack of familiarity with our roads, signs or tolling infrastructure are not considered grounds for the dismissal of violations. We appreciate that traveling from one jurisdiction to another often requires travelers to follow different traffic laws and practices, but hearing officers are charged with helping uphold the rules consistently among our 1.5 million daily drivers.

A letter will be mailed to you providing the date and time of your hearing.

Reassigning Illinois Tollway Violations

To ensure compliance with Section 10(a-5) of the Illinois Toll Highway Act, 605 ILCS 10/10 (a-5), the Tollway will reassign violations to the person who was renting/leasing a vehicle at the time a violation occurred if the rental/leasing company meets the following criteria and follows the process outlined below:

The company must be the registered owner of the vehicle.

The company's rental/leasing agreement(s) must contain a provision advising the renter/lessee that they will be responsible for payment of tolls and any fines for toll evasion.

The rental/leasing agreement must be approved by the Tollway prior to submitting any requests for reassignments. This approval is required on an annual basis (see below).

The company must post a sign at the rental/leasing counter notifying the renter/lessee of the responsibility to pay tolls and any fines for toll evasion.

The company must provide the necessary documentation to the Tollway by the due date listed on the Notice of Toll Violation (see below for more information).

Process for Rental/Leasing Agreement Approvals

A blank copy of the company's master agreement should be submitted to the Tollway along with a letter on company letterhead requesting approval of the agreement for the purpose of reassigning violations. Notification by mail of the approval or denial (with reasons why) will be provided.

Each year, you will receive a renewal letter requesting certification that your agreement has not changed or requesting a new master agreement be submitted for approval if any changes have been made since the last submittal. If a new master agreement is submitted, it must be approved prior to reassignments being submitted.

If a company meets the criteria above, violation notices can be reassigned following one of the processes described below.

Process for Reassignment: Option 1

Once a company's master rental/leasing agreement is approved and on file with the Tollway, the following should be submitted for reassignment consideration:

A copy of the rental/leasing agreement or a notarized reassignment letter that contains the name, address and driver's license number of the renter/lessee, the check-out and return dates and times and the vehicle license plate number, make and model. Sample Reassignment Letter 1

More Information

605 ILCS 10/10 (a-5) of the Illinois Toll Highway Act states that, "No commercial entity that is the lessor of a vehicle under a written lease agreement shall be liable for an administrative notice of violation for toll evasion issued under this subsection (a-5) involving that vehicle during the period of the lease if the lessor provides a copy of the leasing agreement to the Tollway within 21 days of the issue date on the Notice of Toll Violation.

The leasing agreement also must contain a provision or addendum informing the lessee that the lessee is liable for payment of all tolls and any fines for toll evasion. Each entity must also post a sign at the leasing counter notifying the lessee of that liability.

The copy of the leasing agreement provided to the Tollway must contain the name, address and driver's license number of the lessee, as well as the check-out and return dates and times, the vehicle license plate number, make and model. The statute covers any type of vehicle leasing company truck or car rental."

Request a Hearing

All persons receiving a Notice of Toll Violation have the right to contest the violations by requesting an administrative hearing prior to the due date listed on that notice.

An administrative hearing can be conducted in person or by mail. Administrative hearings are less formal than state court trials but still follow a basic structure to ensure fairness and due process of law.

Hearings in person and by mail involve the review of evidence packages, which contain images of the violation events. While anyone can view their images online at any time, drivers who have scheduled hearings have the additional option to request paper copies of their evidence packages by mail. While it is recommended that the request for an evidence package be made at the time a hearing is scheduled, a request can be made up to one week prior to the scheduled hearing date (which should allow the time necessary for mail delivery).

Before You Request a Hearing, Please Consider the Following

If you submitted an unpaid toll payment within seven days of the violations, please call 800-UC-IPASS (800-824-7277) or visit a Customer Service Center for assistance.

If you were an I-PASS or E-ZPass customer at the time of the violations, please call 800-UC-IPASS (800-824-7277) or visit a Customer Service Center for assistance.

Lack of familiarity with our roads, signs, or tolling infrastructure are not considered grounds for the dismissal of violations. We appreciate that traveling from one jurisdiction to another often requires travelers to follow different traffic laws and practices, but hearing officers are charged with helping uphold the rules consistently across our 1.5 million daily drivers.

The hearing officer does not have the legal authority to:

negotiate or offer a settlement

waive or lower the mandatory fine/toll amount

extend the payment deadline or grant a payment plan

If a hearing officer finds you liable you will no longer be eligible for a settlement.

What Happens at an In-Person Hearing?

The hearing officer outlines the hearing process.

The Illinois Tollway initiated the case against you, so it has the burden of proof and will present its evidence before you are asked to present a defense. To present its case, the Tollway may:

Introduce the Notice of Violation

Call witnesses

Offer other evidence such as photographs or other documents

The hearing officer reviews the Illinois Tollway's case to see if it has alleged all the necessary elements required by law.

If the Tollway has not properly alleged the elements of an offense, the case will be dismissed.

If the Tollway has properly alleged the elements of an offense, the hearing will proceed and you will have the opportunity to present your case.

To present your case, you may, like the Tollway:

Introduce written testimony

Testify yourself

Call witnesses

Offer other evidence such as photographs or other documents

After both sides have had an opportunity to present their case, the hearing officer will render a decision and written order of liability.

What Happens at a Hearing By Mail?

You receive by mail a Notice of Hearing By Mail. You need to complete the form and mail back to the Tollway. The form allows you to submit your own written testimony, as well as to attach additional documentation related to relevant evidence or supporting testimony.

Be sure to sign the bottom of your written testimony and keep a copy of all submitted documents.

Your documents must be received by the Tollway not less than five days prior to the hearing date. Please allow adequate time for mail delivery.

The hearing officer first reviews evidence presented by the Tollway, which may include the Notice of Violation(s) or other evidence, such as photographs or documents. Because the Tollway initiated the case against you, it holds the burden of proof, so the information it provides will be reviewed first.

The hearing officer then reviews the package of evidence presented by you in your response to the Notice of Hearing By Mail.

The hearing officer then renders a decision and issues a Final Order of Liability. By state law, the hearing officer must believe that after reviewing all evidence; it is more likely than not that a violation has occurred.

A Copy of the Final Order will be mailed to you.

Either side may appeal the hearing officer's decision to the 18th Judicial (DuPage County) Circuit Court of Illinois under the Administrative Review Law within 35 days of the issuance date of the Final Order of Liability.

Learn more about hearings in the Administrative Code. The hearing process is covered in Subpart F: Toll Violations - Administrative Adjudication System.

Ways to Schedule a Hearing

Check the box next to, "PLEASE SCHEDULE A HEARING" on the coupon at the bottom of your Violation Notice. You must indicate what type of hearing you are requesting by writing "BY MAIL" or "IN PERSON" on the coupon. Mail the coupon back to Illinois Tollway, P.O. Box 5544, Chicago, IL 60680-5544.

Accessibility and Language Assistance at a Hearing

Persons with disabilities planning to participate in person and who need an accommodation should contact the Illinois Tollway's Americans with Disabilities Act Coordinator at (630) 241-6800 extention 1010 in advance of the hearing.

If English is not your first language, you are responsible for bringing a translator to your hearing. The Tollway will gladly supply a sign language interpreter upon request. Please make your request for an interpreter when you request your hearing or we may not be able to accommodate your needs.

Violations Timeline

View a detailed timeline that includes typical milestones in the collections process for violators who do not pay their violation notices on time.

Commonly Used Terms

ACM – Automatic Coin Machine. Tolls in these lanes are collected by placing coins a coin basket, or by using an I-PASS or E-ZPass transponder. If the toll is missed, it can be paid online within seven days.

IPO – I-PASS Only. Tolls in these lanes are collected by using an I-PASS or E-ZPass transponder and driving at reduced speeds. If the toll is missed, it can be paid online within seven days.

ORT – Open Road Tolling. Tolls in these lanes are collected by using an I-PASS or E-ZPass transponder and driving with the speed of traffic. If the toll is missed, it can be paid online within seven days.